Evening star. [volume], May 26, 1948, Image 1

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96th Year. No. 147. Phone NA. 8000. S »** WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, MAY 26. 1918—FORTY-f OUR PAGES. £Sm5TSSiTiw5 CENTS
U. N. Truce for Palestine Fails
As Arabs Refuse to Cease Fire
Except Under Three Conditions
Demands for Strong
Action Expected
To Be Asked Now
•y th« Associated Press
LAKE SUCCESS, May 26 —
The Arab delegations here were
told by their governments today
that they could not accept the
United Nations Palestine cease
fire order unconditionally.
They laid down three conditions
which a spokesman for Israel said
could not be accepted by the Jewish
state.
This apparently doomed the Se
curity Council's fifth truce appeal.
The Arabs received instructions
from their government just before
the 1 pm. iEDT) deadline the
Council set Monday for acceptance
or rejection.
Tire Arab conditions were reported
to be:
1. Stop arming Hagana. the Jew
ish army.
2. Abandon recognition of the Jew
ish state.
3. Limitation of Jewish immigra
tion.
Replies Not Jtead Out.
The Council adjourned at 12:53
a m. (EDTt—just seven minutes be
fore the deadline—without asking
the Arabs to read out their replies.
The Council meets again at 2 p.m.
Meanwhile a big power spokesman
said a demand may be made for a
world-wide diplomatic break with
tne Araos.
A communication from the Arab
countries was received in code at
the New York offices of the Syrian
delegation less than two hours be
fore the deadline.
Israel informed the U. N. last
night that the Jews were reconsid
ering their previous tentative ac
ceptance of the cease fire since the
48-hour extension of the deadline
was granted for the Arabs on Mon
day.
Most Council delegates already
had written the cease-fire appeal
off as a failure and were consid
ering the next move.
Kashmir Debate Begun.
The Council went into session just
two hours before the cease-fire
deadline. Without any mention of
the Palestine question at the outset,
the delegates began debate on the
India-Jakistan dispute over Kash
mir.
Informed quarters said France
was particularly anxious for strong
action against any countries which
refused to heed the Council's cease
fire appeal. The United States and
Russia already have indicated they
also favored forceful action.
It was understood the French
have warned King Abdullah of
Trftns-Jordan that they would take
drastic diplomatic action if any
French building in Jerusalem is
damaged.
French Delegate Alexandre Pa
rodi, this month's Council president,
reported last week that five mem
bers of the French consulate staff
in Jerusalem had been wounded in
the fighting.
Before the Council convened
spokesmen for the American dele
gation refused to say what plans
i he United States has. They also
refused to disclose what took place
yesterday at a private conference
in New York between Secretary of
State Marshall and top U. N. offi
cials. An informed souice con
firmed. however, that the Palestine
problem was discussed.
Jews Brace to Meet
Stepped-Up Arab Drive
CAIRO, May 26 i/Pt —Jewish mili
;arv leaders braced for a stepped-up
Arab onslought in Jerusalem as the
Arabs rejected the U. N. truce pro
posal. unless conditions were at
tached.
The Arab League's Political Com
mittee reconvened this morning in
(Sec PALESTINE, Page A-5.)
$27,871,000 Shipment
Of Cotton Set by ECA
By the Associated Press
The shipment of $27,871,000 worth
of American cotton to four Euro
pean countries was authorized today
by Economic Co-operation Adminis
trator Paul G. Hoffman.
The transactions mark the first
major United States financing of
material for Europe's textile indus
try. They will be handled entirely
through private trade channels in
this country. Mr. Hoffman said.
The authorizations included:
Italy, $20,400,000: France, $6,800.
000: United Kingdom. $400,000, and
Norway. $271,000.
In addition, the United Kingdom
was authorized to purchase $300,000
worth of cotton linters. The esti
mated prices are those at the port
of embarkation.
The announcement was expected
to rally cotton markets which sagged
Monday following a week-end re
quest by ECA that foreign countries
halt the advance buying of cotton
in expectation that ECA would foot
the bill.
Anticipatory contracting—mostly
by China—was pushing cotton prices
higher "unnecessarily,” ECA ex
plained at that time.
Civil Air Patrol Bill
Is Sent to Truman
By the Associated Press
House approval sent to the White
House today legislation making the
Civil Air Patrol a permanent
civilian auxiliary of the Air Force
The CAP was organized during
the war as a temporary auxiliary
It carried out anti-submarine pa
trols and performed courier serv
ices and other jobs for the Aii
Force.
>>
House Committee Denounces
Bonneville Power Sale Policy
Interior Funds Cut 18%, but Few Workers
Will Be Affected; Krug Warning Ignored
By th« Associated Press
One phase of the Government's
public power program smacks of
Russian tactics, the House Ap
propriation Committee charged
today.
It took specific issue with the sale
of cut-rate Bonneville power to a
public utility district which took
over a private company through
condemnation action without put
ting the issue to a popular vote.
Such a "Soviet power policy” must
stop, the committee declared.
Its comment was contained in a
report sending to the House floor a
$375,677,591 Interior Department
appropriation bill, cut 18 per cent
below President Truman's esti
mates.
The committee made no reference
to testimony by Secretary of the
Interior Krug that the Nation has
"virtually nothing” in its stockpile
of strategic and critical materials
needed for military use.
Neither did it accept the recom
mendation of Chairman Harness of
an Expenditures Subcommittee that
Michael Straus and Richard L. Boke
be relieved of their jobs as Recla
mation Bureau executives. Mr. Har
ness had complained that the pair
spent too much time on depart
mental propaganda work and were
; not qualified.
Despite the 18 per cent cut, the
department fared surprisingly well
in personnel items.
Interior officials said fewer than
100 employes in Washington would
have to be dismissed under terms
of the bill. And only a handful of
other workers would be affected, it
was said.
The 13 employes working on the
program staff of the Secretary's of
fice here would lose their jobs, since
the committee recommended that
that function be abolished.
Proposed Personnel Cuts.
The number of personnel cuts
here that 'would be made in In
terior's various bureaus are: Power
Division, 10; Southwest Power Ad
ministration, 2 lawyers: Bonneville
Power Administration, 17 lawyers;
Bureau of Land Management, 17;
Bureau of Indian Affairs, 10 lawyers;
Bureau of Reclamation, 12 lawyers,
and National Park Service, 3 lawyers.
The committee centered most of
its fire on the issue of public versus
private utility operation in discus*
1 < SeeAPPROPRIATIONSrPg~A-5.)
Only U. N. May Force
British to Quit Arab
Forces, Bevin Says
37 Officers Stay Unless
Presence Conflicts With
Action at Lake Success
By tH« Associated Pr«»*
LONDON. May 26.—Foreign
Secretary Bevin said today Brit
ain’s treaty agreement to fur
nish officers for Trans-Jordan's
Arab Legion will end only if it
becomes “inconsistent with our
obligations to the United •Na
tions.’’
In response to questions. Mr.
Bevin informed the House of Com
mons that 37 British officers are now
serving with the Arab Legion, which
$100,000,000 Aid
To Israel Military
Proposed by Javits
By th« Associated Press
A $100,000,000 military aid
program for Israel was pro
posed today by Representative
i Javits, Republican, of New
York.
He introduced a bill to allow
up to that amount of military
supplies and technical assist
ance to the new Jewish state.
It says the supplies should be
furnished on a lend-lease basis
and carried in American ships.
Israel has been sounding out
the United States on possibili
ties of a loan of around $100,
000,000.
has been engaged in the Arab war
fare against the Jews since mid
May.
Just as he did yesterday, Mr.
Bevin parried a batch of questions
on the Holy Land's strife.
British officials privately expressed
concern and astonishment at re
ports that the United States may
lend Israel $90,000,000 or $100,000,000.
Dr. Chaim Weizmann, president
of Israel, said after talking with
President Truman in Washington
yesterday that the Jews may get
; such a loan.
A British Foreign Office spokes
man said the loan would be “ill
j timed." j He said Britain “depre
i cnted" it.
The Foreign Office said Britain,
France, Belgium, the Netherlands
and Luxembourg are consulting on
a joint Palestine policy. The talks
are under a clause of the five-power
Brussels treaty, invoked by Britain,
obliging the countries to co-ordinate
foreign policy.
The spokesman said the British
Ambassador to Paris. Sir Oliver
Harvey, specifically had asked
France not to take the initiative on
Palestine while the cease-fire order
was under debate.
Negotiations to secure a common
British and American approach to
a Palestine settlement will continue
a spokesman said. He added that
the effect of Dr. Weizmann's loan
talk on the negotiations is “difficult
to foretell.”
Langer Pledges right
For Draft Bill Changes
To End All Segregation
Plans to Ask Roll Calls,
Thus Bringing Civil
Rights Battle to Floor
By Robert K. Walsh
Senator Langer, Republican,
of North Dakota said today he
will try to amend the pending
draft bill by banning all forms
of segregation in the armed
; services.
i Declaring Congress is about to
adjourn without having adopted any
pi the recommendations made six
months ago by the President's Com
mittee on Civil Rights, Senator
Langer promised to "fight vigor
ously” and demand roll call votes in
I the Senate on a series of amend
ments to prevent discrimination
against Negroes serving under any
draft or military training legisla
tion.
The effect of the Langer amend
ments, the Senator indicated at a
news conference today, would be to
add practically all of President Tru
man's civil rights legislative pro
posals to the draft bill now pending
in the Senate.
Opposes Russell Proposal.
Senator Langer opposed an
amendment introduced recently by
■Senator Russell, Democrat, of Geor
gia whereby men inducted into the
service would be permitted to serve
in units of their own race if they
so requested.
The North Dakota Senator an
nounced his plan as the House Rules
Committee reported "increasing op
position” to a draft bill it has been
considering. The committee planned
to hear additional House members
this afternoon, and to question them
I particularly on suggestions made
yesterday that Army pay be raised
■ as a means of encouraging* volun
tary enlistments.
The Senate version of draft legisla
! tion to induct men 19 through 25
| years old is expected to reach the
floor sometime next week. The
■House bill is not believed likely to
I receive rules committee clearance
'before next week.
Truman Also Attacked.
Senator Langer not only criticized
the pending draft bills as "going
counter to the whole tenor of the
civil rights report.” but he also
attacked President Truman for hav
ing “failed to issue an executive
order abolishing Army Jim Crow.”
He recalled that Secretary of the
Army Royall last month told a
group of Negro leaders that the
(See DEFENSE, Page'A-5.)
Truman to Meet Press,
See Disabled Veterans
President Truman will hold a
news conference at 3:45 p.m. to
morrow.
The hour was changed from the
usual time of 4 o'clock because of
the annual reception for disabled
i veterans which was shifted to to
morrow when rain canceled plans
for the fete today.
Meyer Davis' Son, 26, Gives Up
U. S. Citizenship to Aid Reich
By the Associated Press
PARIS, May 26— Gary Davis, 26,
Broadway actor, said today, “I have
renounced my American citizenship
to become a citizen of the world.”
Mr. Dayis, a wartime bomber
ipilot and son of Meyer Davis, the
orchestra leader, said in an inter
view he plans to go to Germany to
! work on rebuilding the German
! nation.
“After all. I'm responsible for
some of the damage there,” he said.
Another American, Henry Mar
tyn Noel, jr.. a former Harvard stu
dent. recently renounced his citi
zenship to work as a bricklayer in
: Germany.
Mr. Davis’ home is in Philadel
phia. He said he last appeared on
1 Broadway in the musical comedy
"Three to Make Ready.” He said
k 1
his Immediate plans are uncertain
because he has no papers, little
money and no apparent means oi
getting into Germany. The Ameri
can Embassy told him he could not
I go without a passport. .
The actor spent 38 months in the
Army. He crash-landed in a B-11
bomber during a raid on the Ger
man atomic testing plant at Pre
memuende in July, 1944. and escaped
to Sweden.
Mr. Davis said he feels the world
is in a state of "international
anarchy" in which sovereign na
tions are moving swiftly toward a
final war, and added:
“I no longer find it compatible
with my inner convictions to con
tribute to this anarchy, and thu;
be a party to the inevitable an
i (See DAVIS. Page A-5.)
L 1
Changes Barred
In Tariff Bill;
Debate Limited
Special Rule Voted
By House, 196-166;
Passage Due Today
BULLETIN
By a vote of 196 to 166, the
House today adopted a special
rule barring amendments and
limiting debate to three hours
on the Republican revision of
the Reciprocal Trade Agree
ment Act. The margin of vic
tory was smaller than the Re
publicans obtained on an
earlier technical motion and
indicated some GGP members
of the Foreign Affairs Com
mittee are out of sympathy
with the bill.
By J. A. O'Leary
House Republicans won the
first test of strength today in
the fight t^tween the two major
parties over tariff policy for the
coming year.
By a roll call vote of 212 to 156,
they succeeded in closing debate on
a special rule, barring any amend
ments. This probably will bring the
bill to final passage before nightfall.
The bill extends the Reciprocal
Trade Agreements Act for one year,
with an amendment giving Congress
the right to set aside any agreement
if the President goes beyond the
recommendations of the Federal
Tariff Commission in changing im
port duties.
Democrats Assail Bill.
Democrats denounced the meas
ure as a return to isolationism and
high tariff walls, while Republican
leaders defended it as an effort to
continue the trade agreement pro
gram with reasonable safeguards for
American business and labor.
The sharp debate in the House
today was a preview of the oratory
that is expected over the tariff issue
in this year's presidential campaign.
High lights in the opening hour of
debate were:
Representative McCormack. Dem
ocrat, of Massachusetts took from
his pocket a letter written from
Bethesda Naval Hospital last night
by former Secretary of State Cordell
Hull appealing for extension of the
law for three years "without crip
pling amendments.” Mr. Hull was
the father of the original act in
1934.
"Reckless Statements” Charged.
Majority Leader Halleck accused
Secretary of State Marshall of
"reckless statements” on the pend
i lng bill, without mentioning the
Secretary by name.
In a letter sent to Capitol Hill.
Gen. Marshall said the GOP meas
ure would be worse than no bill at
all. Mr. Halleck told the House
some “reckless statements” are be
ing made by people in high places
| in foreign affairs “when they say
ithey would rather have nothing at
all than this bill.”
Representative Forand. Democrat,
of Rhode Island* said that if Con
gress passes this bill “we will be
telling the world the United States
i has decided to change its policy so
i far i * trade with the world is con
cert *d. that we are backtracking
am :going back to the days of log
re ,fng tariff making and isolation
i'm.”
I The Democrats are supporting the
administration's request for a
| straight three-year extension with
Sout any new strings being tied to
; the President’s power to make tariff
! concessions to countries which re
ciprocate in their duties on Amer
ican goods.
A party conference yesterday re
vealed that some Republicans, led
by Chairman Eaton of the Foreign
Affairs Committee, will back the
Democratic plea.
Veto Threat Reported,
i Throughput the 14-year life of the
trade agreement program, the Re
i publioans have advocated some form
of congressional check on tariff ad
| justments, but the Democrats held
| the reins on Capitol Hill each time
[the act came up for renewal until
this year.
mere nave Deen reports tnat
President Truman will veto this
watered-down version of the law, if
the Senate concurs in the House
bill. The law expires on June 12,
however, and in vetoing this bill
the President would have to decide
whether no loaf is better than half
a loaf.
The issue is more important in
its long-range aspects than in its
immediate effects. The United
States already has made trade
agreements with most of its chief
trading areas, and these would re
main in force regardless of what
happens to the pending bill.
Handling of Act Criticized.
Chairman Knutson of the House
Ways and Means Committee sound
ed the GOP policy note last night,
when he declared State Department
handling of the Reciprocal Trade
i Act has exposed American workers
I "to the competition of pauper labor
in other lands to a degree never
before experienced.”
1 In taking issue with his party
leaders, Mr. Eaton said the trade
j agreement program should not be
"abandoned or denatured.”
The stimulation of trade is an im
portant objective of the bi-partisan
foreign poiicy which caused Con
I cress to pass the Marshall Plan. Mr.
Eaton's comment expresses the view
of those Republicans who have de
veloped the bi-partisan foreign
policy.
Benes Reported Gravely lll«
Not Expected to Recover
ly the Associated Pros*
LONDON, May 26.—An official
Czechoslovak diplomatic source said
today that President Eduard Benes
is “Gravely ill" and is not expected
’ to recover.
The informant said Czechoslo
vakia's President had two strokes
i recently.
*
Elephant in the China Shop
Virden Withdraws Resignation;
Will Keep Post, Sawyer Soys
Aide's Decision Revealed by Secretary;
Daughter Refuses to Make Any Comment
John C. Virden, who offered to
quit a high Government post
after disclosure that his 22-year
old daughter is working for Tass,
the Russian news agency, today
withdrew his resignation.
Secretary of Commerce Sawyer'
announced Mr. Virden's action in
a statement saying:
"I am pleased to say that Mr.
John C. Virden has withdrawn his
letter of resignation and will con- j
tinue to carry on the work of the I
(Commerce Department’s! Office of
Industry Co-operation as he has in
the past.”
Mr. Virden. a 51-year-old Repub
lican industrialist from Cleveland,
is director of the OIC, which works
out voluntary agreements by in
dustry to direct steel and other
scarce material to essential uses.
He voluntarily handed in his resig
nation after Representative Craw
ford, Republican, of Michigan had
demanded that Mr. Sawyer oust the
Ohioan from the position. Mr.
Crawford cited the employment of
Mr. Virden’s daughter Euphemia by
the Washington office of Tass.
Mr. Sawyer and President Truman
came to Mr. Virden's defense.
Mr. Truman wrote Mr. Virden
only yesterday: ‘I believe in you
—my faith in your loyalty is un
shaken.” The President attributed
the attack on Mr. Virden to "politi
cal expediency.”
In rejecting Mr. Crawford's sug
gestion that Mr. Virden be ousted,
Mr. Sawyer said the exposure of
Mr. Virden's family affairs was
"tragic.”
Mr. Virden, In offering to quit,
wrote Mr. Sawyer that he had com
(See VIRDEN,’Page A-67)
Two Torpedoes Sink
Salt Lake City After
Guns Batter Cruiser
Career Ends for Veteran
Of 31 Pacific Fights and
Bikini Atom Bomb
By Norman Belt
Associated Press Staff Writer
WITH THE U. S. FIRST TASK
FLEET, May 26.—Two swift,
clean torpedo hits sank the
American cruiser Salt Lake City
after bombs, shells and rockets
had battered her sturdy hulk
for hours.
The ship was sent to the bottom
during gunnery-bombing exercises
by the 1st Task Fleet off the Cali
fornia coast.
The end came at 1:52 p.m. (Pacific
Daylight Timei yesterday after five
hours of intermittent bombardment
with everything 15 ships and scores
of planes had to offer.
The famous old swaybacked fight
ing ship went down without protest
—almost gracefully—as if she wel
comed ^eath under fire to desecra
tion in a junk yard.
She rolled over and hid her gro
tesquely twisted masts and other
wounds in the kindly sea. Her stern
rose and then she slid beneath the
waves, bow first.
Her grave is in the Great Depths,
130 miles off the Southern Califor
nia Coast. She went down in 2,000
fathoms, more than 2 miles, of
water. There no diver can ever
disturb her.
Admiral C D. Ramsey, com
: mander of the Pacific Fleet, who
witnessed the sinking, said: “In
general, the functioning of material
was excellent. The Salt Lake City,
a grand veteran of war and peace,
(See CRUISER7 Page 7a-3j~
Young and Bowman Beaten
For New York Central Board
iy the Aseocioted Pres*
ALBANY. N. Y.. May 26.—With
out their consent. Robert R. Young
and Robert J. Bowman, chairman
of the board and president, respec
tively, of the Chesapeake & Ohio
Railway Co., were* nominated today
for election as directors of the New
York Central Railroad and were
soundly defeated.
Each received 614 votes.
The stockholders at their annual
meeting voted 4,692,076 to 614 to re
elect all 15 company directors.
Mr. Young and Mr. Bowman were
nominated from the floor by Ches
ter J. Bollenbach of New York, who
claimed to represent a minority
stockholder.
President Gustav Metzman said
the personal holdings of Mr. Young
and Mr. Bowman, identified by the
company as 200 shares of capital
stock each, had been voted in favor
of the directors nominated by the
management.
The Interstate' Commerce Com
mission refused on May 14 to per
mit Mr. Young and Mr. Bowman to
sit also on the board of the Central.
Spellman in Hong Kong
HONG KONG. May 26 <^.—
Francis Cardinal Spellman of New
York arrived today from Canton.
He will leave for Manila Friday.
Watered-Down Code
On D. C. Fire Egress
Backed at Hearing
Way Clear for Adoption
By City Heads of Rules
For Existing Buildings
By Jerry O'Leary, Jr.
The way was cleared at a pub
lic hearing in the District Build
ing today for automatic adop
tion by the Commissioners of a
watered-down version of the
city’s fire egress regulations for
existing buildings.
Not a dissenting voice was raised
against the proposed amendments
evolved by the Commissioners’ 19
man special committee of citizens
and officials. Twelve representa
tives of large business interests
here, however, expressed approval of
the findings of the Amendment
Committee.
me amendments under consider
ation today apply only to existing
buildings. Egress laws for new con
istruction were amended by the
Commissioners in September. 1947,
and remain in effect unchanged.
When the regulations were adopt
ed in 1946 the city heads were
deluged with complaints from own
ers of buildings already standing
that the expense of remodeling their
property to comply with the law
would put them out of business.
Suspended Enforcement.
After receiving these complaints,
the Commissioners formed the
Amendment Committee—under As
sistant Engineer Commissioner Ken
neth E. Madsen—and suspended
enforcement of the new law for
existing buildings until 'January 1,
1949.
The Commissioners now will un
doubtedly adopt the amendments
11 See FIRE EGRESSTPage~A^5T)
Marshall Rejects Annual Award
Of Churchmen, Edited byShipler
By th* Associated Press
NEW YORK, May 26.—Secretary
of State Marshall has refused to
accept the annual award of the
Churchmen, unofficial Episcopalian
magazine, its editor said today.
Dr Guy Emery Shipler, the editor,
made public correspondence in
which one of Gen. Marshall's spe
cial assistants wrote that the Sec
retary noted the magazines "edi
Itorials extend far into the realm of
I politics and international affairs."
Dr. Shipler was one of seven
Protestant clergymen who visited
Yugoslavia in 1947 and reported
they found complete freedom of
worship under Marshal Tito.
The award is given each year to
a person the churchman believes
has promoted good will and under
standing among people. Previous
recipients include the late President
Roosevelt, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt,
the late Wendell Willkie and Gen.
Eisenhower.
The letter by Marshall S. Carter,
assistant to Gen. Marshall, was in
reply to one by Dr. Shipler asking
whether Gen. Marshall would agree
to have Dr. Samuel McCrea Cavert
represent him in receiving the
award. Dr. Cavert is general sec
retary of the Federal Council of the
Churches of Christ in America.
Mr. Carter's letter, dated MaV 18,
said ‘‘The Secretary notes that the
Churchman is not. as heoriginally
understood, the official organ of
the Episcopal Church, devoting It
self exclusively to religious matters.
“Under the circumstances, the
Secretary does not feel he can
accept the award.''
Dr. Shipler said Gen. Marshall
accepted the award last September
and that the award dinner, sched
uled for next Wednesday, had been
delayed eight months to enable him
to be present to receive it in person.
Expressing amazement at Gen.;
Marshall's refusal. Dr. Shipler wrote
to Mr. Carter. “I know that the
thousands of readers of the
Churchman throughout the coun-,
try, members of the Protestant |
Episcopal Church and others, would!
be equally amazed if they knew the,
content of your letter.”
Civil Service Refuses
To Let Workers Run
For Nearby Offices
Rejects Plea of Smith
And Sasscer to Amend
Rules Under Hatch Act
The Civil Service Commission
today refused to amend its reg
ulations under the Hatch Act to
permit Federal employes to run
for local offices as candidates of
national political parties in
nearby Virginia and Maryland.
The decision was given in a letter
to Representative Smith, Democrat.1
of Virginia, who had been joined by
Representative Sasscer, Democrat,
of Maryland, in seeking a change in
the regulations.
‘‘We have concluded," the com
mission said, “that the policy fol
lowed in the past • * * is a policy
to which we should adhere in the
interest of preserving and strength
ening the career service."
Mr. Smith requested the commis
sion to hold a hearing, which took
place May 19. Several persons, most
of them from Arlington, testified.
Background Reviewed.
In a review of the history of civil
service regulations, passage of the
Hatch Act and amendments to it,
the commission observed:
"It is the conviction of thp com
mission that the debates incident
to the passage of section 16 of the
Hatch Act (giving the commission
discretionary powers to permit local
political activity by Federal work
ers) clearly indicate that Congress
intended to return to the commis
sion the authority which it had
exercised under executive order
prior to passage of the first Hatch
, Act * * *."
I ‘‘It is evident that Congress in
tended by Section 16 that partisan
activities in these communities (ad
jacent to Washington) be pro
I hibited * * *."
The commission recalled that
Representative Smith had endeav
ored to strike out Section 16 as an
amendment to the original Hatch
Act but his efforts were defeated
by the House. Representative Sass
|cer similarly sought to strike out
j Section 16 without success. Mr.
I Smith would have retained language
elsewhere in the act to permit ex
ceptions to be made for political
activity in nearby communities. Mr.
Sasscer would have permitted Gov
ernment workers to participate in
local contests without limitation.
Feared Dismissal From Jobs.
At the public hearing, the com
mission noted, many of those who
testified expressed a fear of partici
pating in any type of local contest
because they might be held in vio
lation of the Hatch Act, and "if we
find that a violation has taken place,
the employe must be removed, irre
spective of the seriousness of the
violation."
Prior to passage of the Hatch Act,
the commission had discretion to
determine whether the employe
should be removed or whether a
lesser penalty should be imposed.
“On numerous occasions,” the let
ter said, “the commission has asked
the Congress to amend the Hatch
Act so as to once again give us this
■ discretion.”
GM Settlement
Colors Chrysler
Parleys Today
Industry Believes
UAW Strike May Be
Ended Quickly
By the Associated Press
DETROIT, May 26.—Terms of
the General Motors Corp.’s his
tory-making wage agreement
with its employes were studied
today by negotiators seeking to
day to end the 15-day Chrysler
strike.
Representatives of Chrysler Corp.
and the United Auto Workers re
turn to the bargaining table today
for tne first time since 75,000 pro
duction workers walked out May 12.
Gov. Kim Sigler of Michigan
asked the resumption of wage talks
and arranged the session, but he
sent no representative.
The UAW's Chrysler negotiating
team—officially demanding a 30
cent hourly wage increase—has giv
en no indication whether it would
accept an 11-cent raise geared to .
the cost of living such as the one
that ended a strike threat at Gen-'
eral Motors.
Industry Sees Pattern Set.
Nor has the corporation com
mented on possibilities of raising its
best previous offer of 6 cents an
hour to a figure matching the Gen
eral Motors commitment in a two
year contract approved yesterday.
But throughout the auto industry
it was believed the GM-UAW set
tlement would provide a pattern
for future wage negotiations.
It was expected to bring tiie
Chrysler strike to a quick conclu
sion and have a definite effect on
coming wage talks between the
union and the Ford Motor Co.,
which has suggested a pay cut.
Average hourly wages In the In
dustry's big three—General Motors,
Chrysler and Ford—are about $1.50.
The GM boost raises the figure in
its plants to $1.61 per hour, at least
until September. Then wages will
be reviewed and possibly revised
with reference to the cost of liv
ing, under the new contract provi
sions.
18-Hour Session.
The General Motors agreementi
was accepted by the company and
UAW leaders early yesterday morn
ign after an 18-ly>ur session.
It will go before UAW-CIO repre
sentatives from 90 GM plants on
Friday, the date the old contract,
runs out. Then the union's 225,000
GM production workers will receive
: it with a recommendation of ac
ceptance or rejection.
If they vote approval, the new
contract will take effect as of
May 29.
Briefly, the new GM wage formula
provides:
1. The 11-cent hourly wage in
crease.
2. A quarterly review of wagea
and the cost of living with a pos
sible downward revision by as much
as 5 cents per hour September 1 if
the Federal Bureau of Labor
Statistics charts show living costs
have decreased then.
Another Raise Next Year.
The cut cannot be more than 5
cents during the two-year life of
the contract. But no limit was
placed on upward revision. Workers
will get 1 cent more per hour for
every 1.14 points the bureau’s con
sumer price index goes up.
3. An aditional 3-cent increase
guaranteed in any event at the end
of this year.
Thus a GM worker would be
raised immediately from $1.50 per
hour to $1.61. Next September 1
i that w'age might be cut as low as
,$1.56 per hour, but it would be
| raised next May to at least $1.59.
j In addition, the union traded its
demand for a union shop for GM s
agreement to a dues checkoff, a plan
! by which the company collects union
i dues from any employe giving his
authorization.
The UAW shelved temporarily its
program for a pension plan. It
j will continue its discussions on pen
j sions with General Motors, but any
agreement reached would remain
outside the contract until 1950.
GM Formula Viewed
As Aid to Labor Peace
The General Motors contract set
tlement. giving workers a 11-cent
hourly boost and pegging subse
quent wages on cost of living fluc
tuations. was viewed here today aa
a passible formula for avoiding
strikes in other industries.
Cyrus S. Ching, chief of the Fed
eral Mediation and Conciliation
Service, said he ~was hopeful the
new approach to contractual agree
ment would “establish a basis for
settlement of a number of other
wage disputes now pending.”
Noteworthy among current nego
tiations involving strike threats are
those in maritime, coal and elec
trical equipment manufacturing in
dustries.
Living Costs L'p 69 Per Cent.
As General Motors and the CIO
Auto Workers entered into the
agreement, the cost of living as re
ported by the Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics was 69 per cent higher than
| in 1940. That meant the present
dollar was worth only 59 cents in
(SeeUAW.Page i
Jap Miners to Purchase
Surplus Army Clothes
ly th« A»ociot*d Prfji
,• TOKYO. May 26. — Japanese
miners today were authorized to pur
chase 650,000 pieces of surplus
United States Army clothing at
prices in line with Japanese-made
clothing.
The concession was interpreted as
an incentive to the miners, whose
production for May is down con
siderably. They have been able to
buy such luxuries as American cig
arettes and candy for some months.
Allied headquarters said the slump
in coal production was caused by
labor unrest, work stoppages and
production slowdowns,
/?